Rainbow Pitta Pitta iris Scientific name definitions

16–18 cm; 55–72 g. Adult has head and neck black with broad chestnut lateral crownstripe, upperparts bright olive-green, sometimes a narrow silvery green-blue band across uppertail-coverts, tail green with black base; large shining violaceous-blue patch on lesser coverts, rest of upperwing-coverts green with golden gloss; flight-feathers blackish, secondaries edged green, primaries tipped paler and with small white spot near base; all black below , except for some buff feathers on lower flanks, scarlet lower belly and undertail-coverts; iris dark brown; bill black; feet dusky pinkish to silvery grey or reddish-grey. Sexes alike. Dusky stripes found on green and blue upperparts of 60% of 23 adults examined (both sexes, both races). Juvenile is duller than adult, little or no chestnut on crown, little blue on wing, white-mottled throat, pale pinkish vent, orange base of bill. Race johnstoneiana is slightly smaller, with larger rufous-brown stripe on side of crown, larger white wing spot.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Monsoon rainforest, gallery forest and vine scrub, also eucalypt (Eucalyptus) forest, and sometimes found in bamboo thickets and mangrove edges; occasionally recorded in pine (Pinus) plantations. Sea-level to 380 m.

Worms, snails, insects and their larvae, also other arthropods such as spiders, centipedes (Chilopoda), millipedes (Diplopoda); occasionally frogs, small skinks (Scincidae); rarely, fruit of Carpentaria palms. Insects mainly beetles, cockroaches (Blattodea), ants, orthopterans. Earthworms and snails form major part of diet during Oct–Apr wet season; insects eaten mostly during dry season. Snail shells smashed against branch or exposed roots; large prey seized with bill and shaken, dropped, then picked up and shaken again, process repeated several times. Forages on ground, making a number of hops and then pausing to inspect leaf litter; scratches soil or litter with foot, tosses aside leaves with bill.

Double whistle , "teow-whit, teow-whit" or "choowip-choowip", often likened to human phrase "I want a whip", or sometimes first note omitted, often repeated in series during Oct–Dec; loud sharp "keow" as alarm; also soft cat-like purr, "brrr", given in display.